Root causes of migrant crisis are man-made, says Cardinal Parolin

Speaking to a UN summit meeting on refugees and migrants, the Vatican’s Secretary of State said that the greatest challenge for world leaders is “to identify and act on the root causes that force millions of people to leave their homes, their families, and their countries.”

“The primary cause of today’s refugee and migrant crisis is man-made: namely, wars and conflicts,” Cardinal Pietro Parolin continued. Therefore he made a plea for an end to warfare and the use of diplomacy to resolve international conflicts.

The cardinal went on to say that “in the last few years religious persecution has become more and more a cause of displacement,” with Christians as the primary targets.

Finally, Cardinal Parolin said that “extreme poverty and environmental degradation” have contributed to the migrant crisis. While people who leave their countries for these reasons are not recognized as refugees, he said, “nonetheless they suffer greatly and are most vulnerable to human trafficking and various forms of human slavery.”

The Vatican representative said that because the leading causes of the crisis are caused by human actions, they can be change– although this will require “strength and political will.”